Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Joint implants may be adapted for a variety of joint types found in humans as well as other animals. For example, implants have been made and are now in use for human knee and hip joints. Current implant types include complete joint replacement implants, which are inserted into organisms to replace the surfaces of a joint, as well as partial joint replacement implants designed to replace diseased or damaged joint surfaces with metal and plastic components shaped to allow continued motion of the joint.
Joint implants are generally inserted to relieve the pain and disability of osteoarthritis. Joint implants may also be inserted for other joint conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or to address injuries such as sports, work, car or other accident related injuries. Other major causes of debilitating pain which may warrant joint implants include meniscus tears, cartilage defects, and ligament tears.
Complete and partial joint replacement implants may not provide the same even pressure and smooth bearing that a patient's original joint does. In particular, tears and breaks in the cartilage or the meniscus are difficult to make smooth enough to obviate pain and further damage in a joint that is fitted with an implant. Surgical attempts to create a new bearing surface as good as the original often do not succeed. As a result, in addition to the often substantial postoperative pain and long recovery periods associated with joint implant operations, patients may experience ongoing joint pain and may never experience a return to full mobility. There is a need to develop improved joint implants to provide meaningful health and quality of life benefits to at least some patients.